Steve Crow: aquatic center not just 'a hole in the ground filled with water'

Steve Crow of Kennett's Crow Homes runs a front-end loader at the Sheryl Crow Aquatic Center Monday. Crow's company was chosen to build the facility's pool house. [Click to enlarge]

The new Sheryl Crow Aquatic Center at Kennett isn't just a hole in the ground filled with water.

Contractor Steve Crow, of Kennett's Crow Homes, calls the entire facility "state of the art."

"It's a 25-meter, eight-lane, competition-ready pool," a glowing Crow said Monday. "We didn't build the pool, just the pool house.

"This project isn't much different than anything residential," the hands-on builder continued. "We got started a couple months later than we had planned, so in that sense, the time factor was pretty much a crunch."

In addition to the pool, which Crow said measures 82-feet long by 52-feet wide, 4-feet deep at its shallow ends and 6-feet deep at its mid-point, the complex sports a childrens pool, a splash pad and a large water slide that will please "kids and those of us who are kids at heart." He added that the pool house alone would cost in excess of $100,000 to construct.

"It contains mens and womens locker rooms, a lobby, an administration area and offices, an equipment room, a chemical storage room and is approximately 2,000-square feet," he said. "I think the building fits the pool nicely.

"This was a real fun project," the builder added. "I'm taking lots of pride in this one, too."

Crow said community support for the endeavor was overwhelming. To date, more than $150,000 has been collected to aid in paying for the facility's incidentals.

"It's a lot more fun because so many people have been included in its creation and are excited about using it," Crow said. "It's been a real community effort.

"That pays off in increased community pride," he added. "I think everything is working out well. I think everything is hitting the mark. We'll be ready for opening day."